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Why do the reviews, magazines, CEO hate the Commander?

I'm a Jeep guy - have a CJ8, had several CJs, 3 GCs, etc. But never a Commander. I currently have a mildly built FJ Cruiser - my 2002 GC Overland was a complete piece of *#$& - everything that could break did. I gave up on new Jeeps... Oddly after 3.5 years with the Toyota - 100% trouble-free - I'm looking at new and slightly used Jeeps. I like the 2011 GC Overland but wow - $45k. A used Commander fits the bill size-wise - love the V8, etc. But....

Everything I read - all auto mags, CR, etc. hate it. Hell, the CEO of Chrysler (admittedly not a Jeep guy) is on record saying "The Commander is not meant for human consumption" and "I really don't know why anyone bought it".

So what is the "problem" with the Commander? Was it overpriced? Quality? 'Cause... I kinda like them.

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I have a WK, but do not hold that against me. My reason for disliking the Commander might be the same as the writers for auto mags. The Commander itself is a great Jeep, but it was the build up of anticipation when Chrysler announced that they greenlit the production of a "full sized" Jeep-FSJ. During the period of time between their announcement and when pics and specs of the Commander began to surface, speculation was that the new FSJ was going to be pretty close to this

A Jeep built on a Dodge Ram 2500 platform with a Cummins Diesel, Dana 60s front and rear with lockers, are you freaking kidding me, drool, I would step over my own wailing mother for one!

Instead, they burst the bubble of anticipation and handed us this, a stretched WK.

I suspect Jeep was chomping at the bit to start production, especially since the drive train was already in production so no developement costs there, but as with so many of the other of the fuctional prototypes Jeep has built in the last few years, case in point the Mojave:
The weasels running Chrysler at the time in their infinite wisdom said no. Instead, they decided to stamp the Jeep nameplate on those apalling embarassments known as the Compass and Patriot.

This is why I and possibly auto mag writers never took to the Commander. As for what the CEO said, who Knows.

Funny thing is - Edmunds rated it a 7.5 out of 10, yet ACTUAL owners rate it a 9 out of 10. The two main knocks I read of, were against the 3.7L V-6 being underpowered (I got the 287 V-8, but after test driving an '07 with a 345 2 weeks AFTER I bought mine, I'm kicking myself... ), and the small, 3rd row seats. Well... I have 4 small children, and they all fight eachother to sit in them! Go figure?

As my first Jeep ever, and first 4x4 in 20+ years, I like it. The amenities were MUCH nice than expected, the truck like solidity much appreciated (my previous 4x4 was a '79 BRONCO!!!), and I look forward to getting around Pittsburgh THIS winter regardless the weather! And my sons look forward to going to camp in it!

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